Comment: Marriage Equality And Immigration - On Friday, June 24, 2011, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law a bill permitting same-sex couples to be wed in the Empire State as from July 24th. This action by New York doubles the population of the country with marriage equality (joining Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Iowa and DC). What does this mean for immigration policy? Despite Attorney General Holder’s statement that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is unconstitutional (see DoJ press release saying “... classifications based on sexual orientation should be subject to a more heightened standard of scrutiny. The President has [] concluded that Section 3 of DOMA, as applied to legally married same-sex couples, fails to meet that standard and is therefore unconstitutional“); USCIS continues to deny I-130 petitions filed by bi-national same-sex couples, legally married in the states with competent jurisdiction. The constitutional status of DOMA, and by extension bi-national same-sex couples, remains in flux; indeed a number of court cases in various district and circuit jurisdictions are alive as of this writing. However, New York’s action points to the future course of where the national conversation on marriage equality is tending. Stay tuned to Immigration Daily for the latest.

To submit an article or a news item to Immigration Daily, write to editor@ilw.com. Follow ILW.COM on Twitter.

Help Wanted: Immigration Paralegal

Santa Monica, CA - Wolfsdorf Immigration Law Group, a top-rated immigration firm, seeks an experienced paralegal or legal assistant with a minimum of 2 years immigration experience. The duties include assisting with both nonimmigrant and immigrant cases. Qualified candidates must have a commitment to hard work, excellent writing, communication, organizational and case management skills. We offer competitive salaries and benefits plus a pleasant working environment. Send your resume, a cover letter and two immigration writing samples by email only to Managing Partner: Bernard@Wolfsdorf.com (All applications will be kept strictly confidential). We are an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Help Wanted: Immigration Paralegal

Philadelphia, PA - Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP, a nationally-known immigration law firm, has an opening for a paralegal with a minimum of 3 years of experience in immigration law matters including the processing of PERM applications. This position will handle a variety of employment based immigration matters for multinational companies, universities, hospitals and research organizations. You will work with attorneys, have contact with scientists, scholars, researchers, and other professionals to establish their eligibility for immigration benefits, and help guide them through the immigration process. Successful candidates should have strong verbal, written, and organizational skills; be able to understand complicated rules and procedures; and have a Bachelor's degree with excellent academic credentials. Please email your resume, a copy of your college transcript and a brief writing sample to: hrpa@klaskolaw.com. Information about the firm can be found at www.klaskolaw.com.

ComingsNGoings: New Partner
Larrabee | Mehlman | Albi | Coker LLP is proud to announce the promotion of Amanda N. Bodine to Senior Associate. Ms. Bodine handles nonimmigrant and immigrant matters for corporate clients and their foreign national employees in a broad range of industries, and provides individual representation on family-based immigration matters and naturalization.abodine@larrabee.com

Readers can share professional announcements (up to 100-words at no charge), email: editor@ilw.com.

An Important disclaimer! The information provided on this page is not legal advice. Transmission of this information is not intended to create, and receipt by you does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. Readers must not act upon any information without first seeking advice from a qualified attorney. Copyright 1995-2010 American Immigration LLC, ILW.COM. Send correspondence and articles to editor@ilw.com. Letters and articles may be edited and may be published and otherwise used in any medium. The views expressed in letters and articles do not necessarily represent the views of ILW.COM.